Traditional banks often lack personalized service, and local businesses struggle to find true partnership in financial institutions. Meanwhile, higher education faces scrutiny over relevance and ROI in a world where information is nearly free.

Harry Allen helped launch Studio Bank to blend technology with high-touch service, fueled by community investment. At Belmont, he's applying the same entrepreneurial mindset to modernize university operations and embed practical learning experiences, like a one-of-a-kind partnership with Dolly Parton, into academia.

In this episode, Harry L. Allen, co-founder of Studio Bank and now CFO at Belmont University, unpacks the bold vision behind launching a community-first bank in a city dominated by financial giants. He shares the leadership lessons that shaped his journey, how to lead through crisis, and why mentorship is the key to filling today's leadership vacuum.

Key Takeaways

• Leveraging both financial and social capital creates a unique, community-first banking model.
• High-tech doesn't mean low-touch, Studio Bank fused innovation with personal relationships.
• Leadership means showing up, especially during crisis.
• Universities must shift from being information hubs to delivering real-world experience.
• Succession and mentorship are vital to cultivating the next generation of leaders.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Harry L. Allen
01:49 The Birth of Studio Bank
04:29 Leveraging Technology in Community Banking
07:25 The Courage to Start a New Venture
10:37 Leadership Challenges in High Growth
13:02 Leading Through Crisis: The COVID Experience
17:55 Transitioning from Banking to Education
21:16 The Role of Leadership in Higher Education
25:16 Adapting to Challenges in Higher Education
30:04 The Leadership Vacuum in Society
33:17 Advice for Emerging Leaders
35:21 The American Dream and Community Impact

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

Many aspiring leaders misunderstand leadership as task delegation and performance oversight, missing its human core.

Leadership isn’t just what you do—it’s who you become.
In this episode, Jim Carlough, Chief Sales Officer at mPulse and author of The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership, shares hard-earned wisdom from decades in healthcare tech and mentorship. From his formative years under Ross Perot to leading with empathy and humor, Jim breaks down how real leadership begins long before you reach the corner office.

Key Takeaways

• Integrity is foundational—it’s not just a pillar, it’s the pedestal.
• Empathy vs. compassion: Understand the distinction to lead whole people, not just employees.
• Leadership is 24/7—your influence starts in the parking lot.
• Humor isn’t comedy—it’s humanity; it disarms, unites, and re-centers teams.
• Mentorship matters—transformative leadership starts by helping others succeed.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Leadership Insights

01:33 Lessons from Ross Perot

05:27 The Evolution of Leadership

06:43 The Importance of Integrity

09:22 Leadership as a Continuous Journey

11:37 Navigating Integrity Pitfalls

14:07 Building a Culture of Integrity

16:10 Communicating Under Pressure

20:15 Empathy vs. Compassion in Leadership

23:07 Supporting Team Growth

26:42 Balancing Accountability and Empathy

28:13 The Role of Humor in Leadership

34:02 Transitioning to Mentorship and Speaking

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

Are you an entrepreneur or leader struggling to scale your business and empower your team?

In this episode of No Limit Leadership, host Sean Patton sits down with Sam Davidson, CEO of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, seasoned founder, and leadership expert. Together, they explore how to transition from founder to leader, build trust with teams you didn’t hire, and develop the mindset and systems required to grow a purpose-driven business.

Whether you're leading a startup, stepping into a legacy organization, or simply trying to improve your leadership impact, this conversation is packed with tactical advice and powerful insights.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why sales, public speaking, and leadership are the three essential skills for long-term influence
• How to lead with vision and trust, especially when inheriting legacy systems and teams
• The difference between managing systems and leading people
• Why purpose, not ego, creates lasting culture and sustainable growth
• How self-awareness shapes leadership capacity at every stage of growth

Sam also shares behind-the-scenes lessons from building multiple companies and now mentoring over 400 entrepreneurs each year.

Sam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samdavidson/
Nashville Entrepreneur Center: https://ec.co/

Host, Sean Patton: https://seanpattonspeaks.com/
Host, Sean Patton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanpattonpresents/
Host, Sean Patton on IG: https://www.instagram.com/seanpattonspeaks

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

Why long-term success starts with self-leadership and how to align who you are with the business you’re building.

Why You Need to Listen:

Most entrepreneurs focus on tactics and hustle, but overlook the one thing that actually determines long-term success: self-leadership. In this episode, business coach and columnist Chris Wilkinson joins Sean Patton to break down why your inner game is the key to outer performance. If you're building a business but feel stuck, scattered, or unfulfilled, this conversation is your mirror and your momentum.

About the Guest:

Chris Wilkinson is a holistic business coach, five-time entrepreneur, and longtime leadership columnist. With 20+ years of business experience, Chris specializes in helping entrepreneurs develop self-leadership, clarity, and sustainable performance. He's also the co-owner of a senior care franchise, a former hockey captain, and a prolific contributor to business and leadership thought.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why self-leadership is the foundation of all business growth
• The “wheel of leadership” framework Chris uses with every client
• How to reframe failure using the “100 no’s” mindset
• Why most vision statements fall short and how to align your life and business
• The difference between confidence and worthiness
• How to get out of your own way by identifying your “brake pedal”
• What you're really willing to suffer for and why that matters

Episode Chapters:

0:00 – Why you need to hear this
2:30 – From hockey to holistic coaching: Chris’s story
6:00 – What is self-leadership and why it matters
9:15 – Clarity, energy, mindset, and the 8-factor leadership wheel
14:30 – Why entrepreneurs overestimate 1 year and underestimate 5
18:45 – The “100 no’s” method and the problem with chasing outcomes
24:20 – Locus of control: what’s in your hands vs. what’s not
30:45 – The gas and brake metaphor: what’s holding you back
35:50 – How to build resilience (and what you’re willing to suffer for)
41:00 – The power of purpose, giving, and intentional leadership
45:00 – Final mindset shift: from “I have to” → “I get to”

Connect with Chris:

Website: https://www.coachingwithchris.ca/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachingwithchris/

More from Sean & No Limit Leaders

Subscribe to the newsletter: www.nolimitleaders.com/growth

www.seanpattonspeaks.com

www.nolimitleaders.com

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

In this episode of No Limit Leadership, I sit down with Jim Stevenson—founder and CEO of the Bletchley Group, a global growth consultancy helping organizations align strategy, culture, and technology.

We dive into what most leaders get wrong about data, why OKRs (not KPIs) are the key to alignment, and how AI is transforming leadership in real time. Jim shares how to create psychological safety, drive clarity, and build teams that win.

If you’re a growth-minded leader who wants to future-proof your organization, this conversation is your blueprint.

What You’ll Learn:
• The difference between data and useful data
• Why OKRs are more than just goals—they shape culture
• How to build teams that adapt and execute at speed
• What limits real growth—and how to remove them
• How AI is reshaping leadership, communication, and trust
• Why psychological safety is a performance multiplier

Chapters:
00:00 – Intro & why this episode matters
01:05 – The origin of Bletchley Group & purposeful tech
04:00 – Breaking limits and AI’s next frontier
10:00 – Superintelligence, free will & leadership
17:03 – What makes data actually useful
23:00 – OKRs vs KPIs: what leaders get wrong
29:30 – The 70% rule: unlocking high performance
32:20 – Incentives: unleash or destroy greatness
36:00 – What elite teams do differently
37:33 – Culture: the real transformation
41:54 – Creating psychological safety
44:00 – Red team thinking & decision ownership
48:39 – Eliminate blockers. Uncover your strategy.

Guest: Jim Stevenson
Founder & CEO, Bletchley Group
🌐 Website: www.bletchleygroup.com
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimstevenson/

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

What if the secret to great leadership isn’t more strategy—but more soul?

In this episode of No Limits Leadership, I’m joined by Valerie Sandjivy, a global leadership mentor and founder of EllipsUS. With over 20 years of experience across France, the U.S., and Asia, Valerie helps C-suite leaders and entrepreneurs master the inner and outer game of leadership by balancing structure and soul, logic and intuition, discipline and play.

We explore how to communicate across cultures, lead across five generations, and unlock your team’s full potential by combining emotional intelligence with visionary structure. Valerie’s insights on presence, neuroscience, and energetic balance offer a radically refreshing approach to what leadership looks like today.

If you're building high-performing teams in a fast-changing world—this conversation is your blueprint.

Topics & Timestamps:

• (00:15) Intro to Valerie Sandjivy: Global leadership experience + intuitive coaching
• (03:24) Why cross-cultural leadership is a communication superpower
• (07:50) How traveling sharpens leadership presence and awareness
• (10:40) Asking better questions and leading shoulder-to-shoulder
• (13:06) The challenge and opportunity of leading across five generations
• (18:42) What Gen Z wants from work—and how leadership must evolve
• (22:01) Beyond money: Why purpose, authenticity, and creation matter
• (26:17) The mindset shift from survival to innovation and play
• (30:33) Using neuroscience to rewire leadership habits and behavior
• (37:25) Masculine vs. feminine energy in leadership—and how to balance them
• (46:49) The most powerful leadership question you’re not asking

Guest Links:

Valerie Sandjivy's Website: www.ellips.us.com
Includes her free leadership assessment and additional resources.

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

If you're a growth-minded executive, founder, or team leader looking to build a high-trust, high-performance culture—this episode is for you.

Ken Proctor is an executive coach and former CEO who helps organizations turn middle managers into culture carriers. In this conversation, we unpack how leaders can drive accountability, engagement, and retention not by giving better answers—but by asking better questions.

You’ll learn:

• Why most companies break in the middle—and how to fix it
• The “three-question rule” that will transform how you listen and lead
• How to onboard team members in a way that builds loyalty from day one
• A simple framework for managing up, down, and across your organization

Whether you're coaching a team, scaling a business, or developing leaders—you’ll walk away with practical tools to lead with more curiosity, clarity, and impact.

🔊 Listen now and learn how to lead smarter—not just harder.

Ken's Website: https://kennethproctor.com/

Ken's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/proctorken/

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.

What if your team could recite your mission without looking it up—and actually believe in it?

In this powerful episode, Sean sits down with retired Air Force Squadron Commander and leadership expert Alex Ramos to unpack one of the most underrated tools for building high-performance culture: a six-word mission that lives in your team’s hearts, not just your handbook.

They explore how Alex used this strategy—what he calls a VisMis—to align diverse teams, inspire belief, and create buy-in from the ground up. You’ll learn why simplicity scales, how belief beats compliance, and what it means to lead as the voice of your mission.

Sean and Alex also dive into:

• Why middle managers are the most overwhelmed and under-equipped layer in your org
• The three elements every leader needs to make high-stakes decisions
• How to transform safety, innovation, and morale through culture clarity
• The difference between communicating and connecting with your team
• Why leadership is more than a role—it’s a spiritual journey

If you're ready to create a culture that actually lives your values, this episode is your blueprint.

🎧 Listen now and discover the six words that can transform your leadership—and your team.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Leadership and Background
07:02 The Role of an Aerospace Physiologist
12:11 Challenges Faced by Middle Managers
20:29 Defining Leadership and Its Spiritual Journey
27:24 The Power of Simplicity in Leadership
34:41 The Dark Side of Meaningful Leadership
44:11 Excellence in High-Pressure Environments

No Limit Leadership is the go-to podcast for growth-minded executives, middle managers, and team leaders who want more than surface-level leadership advice. Hosted by executive coach and former Special Forces commander Sean Patton, this show dives deep into modern leadership, self-leadership, and the real-world strategies that build high-performing teams. Whether you're focused on leadership development, building a coaching culture, improving leadership communication, or strengthening team accountability, each episode equips you with actionable insights to unlock leadership potential across your organization. From designing onboarding systems that retain talent to asking better questions that drive clarity and impact, No Limit Leadership helps you lead yourself first so you can lead others better. If you're ready to create a culture of ownership, resilience, and results, this leadership podcast is for you.